Forever In My Heart
by Janto4eva
Summary: The Torchwood team head out to investigate strange happenings in the woods around the town of Treegap, the home of one Jesse Tuck. Jack/Ianto, past Jesse/Winifred
1. Prologue

Forever In My Heart

**Summary: ** The Torchwood team head out to investigate strange happenings in the woods around the town of Treegap, the home of one Jesse Tuck.

**Pairings: **Jack/Ianto, past Jesse/Winifred

**Rating: **T

**Warning:** Spoilers for the movie Tuck Everlasting and frequent mentions of past character death.

**Disclaimer -**Torchwood and Tuck Everlasting are not mine. Although anyone you don't recognise are.

Prologue

Time. For some, there's never enough of it, and for others, an hour can feel like an eternity. Yet there are some for who time doesn't exist.

Our story focusses on two of these such people. The older of which was 51st Century ex- time agent and current leader of Torchwood Three, Captain Jack Harkness; a man who had been given the gift of immortality by an unlikely source, after being killed by the universe's deadliest foes, the Daleks. Ever since, he had walked the earth, trying to find the one man who could set things straight. Then one night, he met a special girl, a girl with the gift of sight. She told him it would be 200 years before he would meet the man known as the Doctor. At a loss, he accepted a job with the Torchwood Institute, and had been there ever since.

To him, time, personally, didn't affect him, but seeing its effects on those around him was like torture. He had been forced to watch countless friends and lovers age and leave him, while he remained exactly the same. Immortality was the reason he was being denied the one thing he wanted more than anything… to share his life with someone he loved. That someone was Ianto Jones, Torchwood's Archivist. He just wished there was something he could do to stop the inevitable.

Then there was Jesse Tuck; a man who was forever stuck at the age of 17. It had happened nearly 200 years ago, after drinking water from a spring in the woods, beside a little place called Treegap, he, his mother, father and brother Miles had all become immortals. At first, they lived life as normal, believing nothing had changed, but then they realised. It was because of him actually. He had fallen from a tree, sustaining injuries that should've killed him, but his body repaired itself.

For Jesse, time didn't matter either. It was just a word, something that was irrelevant to him. However, occasionally something would remind him of how harsh time could be and make him wish he could turn it back. First, he had to witness his brother lose everything. He watched as Miles fell apart. He hated himself for a while for thinking it, but he hoped that he'd never have to go through that himself. Then, after over eighty years alone, he met the most amazing girl. It was purely by accident, but it was the best thing that ever happened to him. Her name was Winifred Foster. They fell in love, shared every thought and feeling, and leaving her was the hardest thing he had to do, but he had no choice. His Mother had been found guilty of murder and was due to be hanged, something they couldn't let happen. It would've permanently exposed their secret. He had asked Winifred for he aid and she had helped them escape. Before he rode away with his family, he offered her a choice, to drink from the spring and become like them, then he would return for her when it was safe. But, when he returned, she had already died. At that moment, seeing her gravestone, the engraving of 'Winifred Foster Jackson' as clear as day, he knew how his brother had felt all those years ago. His heart broke. It was then, instead of leaving and seeking comfort in his family, he decided to return to the ruined house where they had both lived for a while, rebuild it and remember her.

There are some who say time is like a wheel, turning and turning, never stopping, and the woods are the centre, the hub of the wheel. Both Jack and Jesse had heard the saying, but only Jesse believed it, having witnessed it himself, many years ago.

Our story begins the first week of summer, a strange and breathless time, when accident, or fate, bring lives together. When people are led to do things they've never done before…

**Thanks for reading . Let me know what you think. Should I carry on?**


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: An Interesting Case

Treegap was a town that had been there for hundreds of years. It was a place where nothing much happened and very little changed. The families that lived there went back generations, and everyone had tales of old Treegap to tell… Stories of life, love and perseverance: tales of real people and events in the town. However, most of the tales were about the woods. The trees surrounding the town were swamped in mystery, and even a hint of magic. Most was just superstition, ghost stories to scare children at Halloween. But recently the locals who'd been walking passed had heard voices, mainly crying, coming from between the trees. Those brave enough had gone searching, but no one and nothing had ever been found. Suddenly, those children's tales became myths and legends of the ancient forest. People became scared to even go near, something that had never happened before.

That was when the town elders realised they were in desperate need of help, they needed to restore the peace and tranquillity the town used to possess and appease the citizens' fears. But where could they get help from?

Xxx

Rain, the bane of Ianto Jones' life, and unfortunately, unavoidable in Wales. He hated rainy days because it meant that he was forever having to mop the floors of the tourist information centre. At least it kept him busy, unlike the rest of the team who he knew were moping downstairs, bored out of their minds. It had been almost a week since they had anything to do. The rift was behaving, there'd been no weevils to hunt, nothing. He hated to admit it, it wasn't professional, but he was bored too. He did smile, however, when he thought of his lover downstairs. Jack wasn't good with too much inactivity. He wondered what his boss was doing now…

Sat in his office Jack Harkness was fed up, he hated being idle. It was driving him insane. He had tried numerous times to get his gorgeous Welshman to come to his office and _entertain_ him, but the man had repeatedly refused. _Annoying workaholic. _He couldn't really complain, Ianto's dedication was definitely an asset to the team.

He was disturbed by his musings when Gwen Cooper yelled,

"Jack, I think I found something!"

With a thankful smile, he shot out of his office and down to his colleague's desk as fast as he could.

"So what we got?" he asked, leaning over her shoulder. Gwen blushed as she could feel her boss's breath on her neck. She couldn't help it, she had wanted the man since she met him. Even though she had Rhys, her long-time partner, she still craved the Captain. _One day he'll be mine._ With that in mind, she put the biggest smile on her face and replied,

"Suspicious goings on in a forest. The locals keep hearing voices, but have found nothing."

"Good find Gwen," Jack beamed, making the woman almost burst with happiness. "Everyone, boardroom now!"

Everyone scrambled to get up and made their way to the room. As he walked, Jack tapped his earpiece to talk to Ianto.

"Ianto Jones, can you please work some coffee magic? We're meeting in the boardroom."

"Of course Sir."

Once they were all gathered together, Jack shared Gwen's information with the group, showing them all the police reports.

"Surely it's just ghost stories?" Owen spoke, clearly unconvinced that they should help.

"That may turn out to be the case, but it may be something else, something for us… So, first thing tomorrow, we are all heading off to Treegap."

Xxx

Early the next morning, the team loaded the SUV with all the essential gear and set off. Before they'd even turned the first corner, the car was filled with the sound of tapping keys, as Toshiko Sato set to work finding out all she could about Treegap and the stories associated with it. On the opposite side of the car, Gwen was desperate to do the same, but she knew that there wasn't enough room for the two computers when there was a third person in the back. She wanted to do something so badly, anything to avoid having to talk to the man beside her. She wouldn't say it out loud, but she really hated him. She knew he was sleeping with Jack, even though the couple tried to be discreet, and felt that he wasn't good enough for the charismatic Captain.

In the middle seat, Ianto Jones was using his time to contemplate. Firstly, he thought about the Welshwoman beside him, clearly shooting daggers at him. He knew she was jealous, but he didn't care. He had Jack and he wasn't going to give him up. Secondly, he thought about Treegap. Unbeknown to the others, Ianto knew first-hand of the stories about the place, having lived there as a child. He didn't know how to tell them, especially Jack, that he still owned a house there; the house his Grandmother had left him. On its own, owning the house wasn't the problem, it was what came with it that was. What he was most afraid to tell his boss was that the house owner also owned the surrounding woods… The woods they were about to be investigating.

How was he going to tell them? Where would he start? He had planned for them to stay in his house, telling them all it belonged to a local who was willing to take them in. He knew he should've said something, because now he was stuck. All he knew was that he had to set the record straight before they arrived. At least he had a bit of time. They weren't planning on getting there until tomorrow. As the car trundled on, he knew his available time was getting shorter. He'd have to do it soon. He wasn't looking forward to it.

Xxx

Travelling all day was never a good thing when Owen Harper was in your car. At first the medic had demanded to sit in the passenger seat, relegating Ianto to the backseat. Then, after doing his own bit of research, and finding nothing, he started to get fed up and his bad mood started to surface. It started with slight grumbles:

"It's too hot in here." or, "I'm hungry. When can we get lunch?"

Next, came the questions about their destination:

"Are we nearly at the hotel yet?"

And lastly, the insults began:

"I hate the countryside! " or, "Your driving is …!" They never knew what Jack's driving was, as he would always cut the medic off, just before the, no doubt, expletive, with, "Yes, thank you Owen."

So when they finally arrived, everyone was relieved to be getting out of the vehicle. They grabbed their gear and headed inside. When they entered, Ianto instantly headed towards the front desk, intending to check them in. The receptionist smiled as she handed over 5 keys. It was clear to the man that she was flirting when she spoke the next line, if her blush was anything to go by,

"Here you are Mr Jones, I hope you enjoy your stay. My name is Rowena; let me know if you need anything, I'm here 'til 9."

"Thank you Rowena," he replied, internally rolling his eyes as she blushed again.

He returned to the group and began handing out keys, to everyone but Jack that is. Sensing the need for the pair to have some privacy, Toshiko said,

"I'm going to go unpack, you two coming?" She began walking away. Taking the hint, Owen followed but, noticing Gwen not getting it added,

"You coming too Gwen?"

Reluctantly, she followed, grumbling about leaving Jack with Ianto.

When they were alone, Jack asked,

"So Mr Jones, where is my key?"

Ianto took out the remaining two keys and looked at his lover, daring himself to ask what he wanted. Noticing his struggle, Jack took one key and said,

"Why don't you give that one back, we won't be needing it."

"Are you sure Sir?"

"Positive. I want you to share with me."

"Ok… Let me go and take this back, then we can go to _our_ room."

Xxx

That night, Jack and Ianto were curled up together , enjoying the quiet. Although neither party had said it out loud, it was undeniable that the couple loved each other very much. As Ianto felt Jack's fingers ghosting over his bare back, he realised that, even if he wanted to, he could never keep anything from this man again; the man he loved, and hoped was right in thinking loved him in return. With a sigh, he accepted he couldn't really avoid the truth much longer. Jack was giving him a questioning look, so he figured it was now or never…

"I need to tell you something… It's nothing bad, as such… It's just; I used to live in Treegap. I still own a house there, and the woods we are investigating." Ianto sighed again, relieved to finally have got that off his chest. Now he just had to wait for Jack's reaction, and, by the looks of things, he was annoyed; a clue to which being his hand freezing mid-stroke.

Silence echoed around the room as Ianto awaited a response. After what felt like an eternity, Jack spoke,

"You promised me you wouldn't keep things from me again…"

"And I haven't, I'm telling you now, aren't I?"

"There's been plenty of opportunities to inform me of that little fact Ianto Jones, and still you choose to keep it from me. Why?"

"It never came up before and I didn't know how to tell you when it did. I was surprised ok? Treegap is such an insignificant place, nothing much happened all the time I lived there. Can we please drop this now? I don't want to fight with you. How about I tell you all about the place where I was born?"

"I'd like that. I'm sorry I yelled, it's just, I thought you were deliberately lying to me again. Thank you for telling me, instead of me having to find out for myself later." Jack paused and gave Ianto a chaste kiss, before continuing, "Will you tell me about Treegap? I'd love to know more about your life."

Jack's hand began to gently move again as Ianto regaled Jack with many stories of his childhood home...


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Memories

It was another glorious day in Treegap. The sun was shining down and a cool breeze was blowing in from across the lake. Days like this made the trees bend and leaves rustle. It was like they were whispering to each other. Maybe they could sense it, change was in the air. Summer was definitely here again. Summer was always the favourite season for the town. Every year they would hold a festival to celebrate the passing of spring. The celebration would last all day, and usually kept the town buzzing way into the night. With the festival due the following day, most of the townsfolk were out making preparations, enjoying the sunshine. There was no part of the town that remained silent. The only place undisturbed was the woods. Sure, people passed by, but they were quiet in doing so. They were still suspicious of what could be lurking between the trees.

Xxx

A gentle wind blew across the water and straight through the open window of the Tuck house, stroking the cheek of the young man inside. All around him, dust particles became visible in the morning light. However, Jesse Tuck remained undisturbed as he whistled to himself while he worked. The tune, although unfamiliar to most, was permanently ingrained in his mind. It was the sound his mother's old music box made, the music box she had always used to soothe him as a child.

As the tune filled the air, he was overcome with the memories of a time decades passed. He was sat in the main room of the little house, the house his father had originally built and he had recently restored.

It had proven to be quite a difficult task. The fire had destroyed most of the original structure, so a lot had to be replaced. It was a shame, but he understood why his father had set the building aflame. After all, they couldn't risk their unique lives being public knowledge. Although he shouldn't, he blamed _that man_ for it. He couldn't remember his name but would always remember his yellow suit. If he hadn't come into their lives, his parents would still be living here happily, instead of moving from place to place like they were now. He was happy that he got what he deserved. He had frightened Winifred after all, and he was pleased that he hadn't got away with that. On the other hand, it had made his mother a killer; something that he knew still haunted her at times.

Xxx

As he sat there, working on a new chair, he could see the ghosts of his life moving around the room. Moments of such joy and happiness. He was drawn into remembering one such scene as he looked at the dining room table, the place where his current project would ultimately go. There, shadows of his family and Winnie sat eating and talking. It may not have been much, but he craved for more moments like that. He wished that he had savoured it more back then, now he knew how little time he and Winnie actually had. He couldn't help but shed a few tears. Blinking, the images disappeared, leaving the dining table bare once more. Shaking his head, he decided to head out. _It's getting far too claustrophobic in here._

Being in his old family home was both a blessing and a nightmare for Jesse. He loved the memories, but it did make him melancholy. If he had any friends, they would probably say that he was torturing himself, that he should just move on and forget, but he couldn't. Winifred had owned his heart, still did, regardless of her being dead for almost 4 years now, and, until he could find someone or something else to live for, he was stuck where he was, surrounded by the memories of their short life together. Although, if he was honest, that's what kept him going, he needed those memories to keep him from completely losing it.

"What I wouldn't give to just die," he found himself saying as he walked. It was a line he had said a lot recently. He really wished he could die and join his love in the afterlife, whatever that may be. At least then he would be free from the heartbreak that constantly flooded his senses. He stopped walking and chastised himself,

"Stop it Jesse Tuck. Control yourself! What would Winnie think if she heard you?" He closed his eyes and thought about that. As he stood silently, he swore he heard her voice say,

"Live life, Jesse. Live it for me."

"I can't. I miss you. I love you," he found himself replying, opening his eyes, expecting to see her, but there was no-one, only the trees rustling in the wind. He sighed and continued walking. His mind didn't know where he was headed, but his feet surely did. It was the same place they nearly always ended up.

Most days, Jesse would either spend the hours making things for the house, or taking a stroll through the woods. More often than not, he would find himself at Winnie's gravestone. He would sit and talk, hoping that his love could hear him. He would tell her all about their time apart, the things he had seen while waiting for it to be safe to come for her.

"…No matter what though, I still missed you. I love you Winnie."

He sat for a while, just remembering, letting the past engulf him. He didn't know how long he was lost in his thoughts.

After finishing his musings, the youthful man made his way over to the little spring and took his daily drink, yet another reminder of the brunette he craved to see again. He sat and reminisced about the day they met…

He had been in this very spot, quenching his thirst, and when he turned she was there. He chuckled as he recalled the way he had tried to stop her from doing the same, giving her excuses why. He even remembered her comeback,

"I saw _you _drink some."

He knew than that he'd had it, even more so when he grabbed her and she threatened to tell her father. If it hadn't been for Miles catching the running girl, his life these past few decades would've been very different. Although he tried to stop him back then, he was thankful for it now. What would he have been without the love for Winifred Foster flowing through his heart? It was that thought which made the tears form in his eyes. Before he could stop himself, his whole body began to shake as he sobbed uncontrollably. He was crying for so long that he almost missed the footsteps and the call of,

"Who's there?"

In a flash, Jesse shot up and ran. He ran and ran until he reached the house.

"That was close," he sighed to himself as he tried to catch his breath. It had been happening a lot lately, letting his guard down and nearly being caught. He needed to control himself better. He didn't want the locals to find him and discover his secrets.

However, he couldn't lie to himself much longer, he was lonely. He was in desperate need of a friend. He just hoped he could find someone he could trust. He would not risk exposing himself for some fickle friendship. He had to be sure that any friend he had could be trusted to keep his life private. His chances of finding such a person were very slim.

Little did he know, the key to his happiness was on its way…


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Treegap

All was tranquil as Ianto Jones woke the next morning. He loved mornings like this, when the only sound in the room was the rustling of the curtains as they moved in the breeze. Not wanting to spoil the peace, he chose to keep his eyes closed and just enjoy being in his lover's arms. It didn't happen very often; usually a rift alert or something would disturb their intimacy.

"Morning Ianto."

"Morning Jack," he replied, opening his eyes, whereupon he was pleasantly greeted by the Captain's beaming smile. He didn't call the other man by name a lot, but it was becoming more frequent. However, even though they'd been 'dabbling' for a while, and Jack had told him to drop the title on many an occasion, he still preferred to call him Sir. At times, Jack did encourage the use of the honorific, mainly during their _playful encounters,_ but, when they were enjoying quiet moments like this, Jack preferred to be called by name, and Ianto didn't want to disappoint him.

Blinking slowly, Ianto took a moment to look up at his boss and lover. Seeing the happiness in his eyes, Ianto couldn't help but smile at the older man, a smile that grew even more as he moved to give the Welshman a gentle kiss.

Looking down at the man who lay in his arms, Jack was so overcome with emotion for the gorgeous Welshman that he couldn't help but think,

'_I love you Ianto.'_

Ianto's gasp and question of, "Do you mean it?" caught Jack off guard.

"I said that aloud didn't I? I…" he began, scared to say it again. He feared that if he confirmed it to the other man, he would fall deeper and it would hurt more when he inevitably lost him.

To Ianto the silence was deafening, and seemed to last forever. Eventually, Ianto took pity on the immortal.

"It's ok Jack. You don't have to say it again. I love you Jack and it's nice to know that you love me too."

The kiss that followed was merely a physical representation of their vows to one another.

Xxx

After a respectable breakfast, the team packed up and headed out. This time the drive passed rather pleasantly, without Owen moaning, so they were surprised when they arrived at their destination quicker than expected.

Treegap was a thriving little town. All the residents seemed to be out today. Some were sat outside, in what looked to be little cafés. Others were perusing the storefronts, looking at their wares. It wasn't just the people that were everywhere; the town was covered in decorations. No part of the street looked bare; every lamppost was covered in streamers and fairy lights. Also, some shopkeepers were putting up huge banners.

Looking around, Ianto noticed one such trader putting up a flowery-patterned one, the words, 'Summer is here!' in big letters across it. It was then that he realised what was happening.

"It must be the summer festival tomorrow. They usually put up the decorations the day before, it does start rather early."

"How do you know, tea boy?" Owen asked, teasing him with the nickname, before turning around to face the man in the backseat.

This was his opportunity, Ianto realised, to tell the group of his link to Treegap.

"I used to live here."

The two women and the medic all gasped, not expecting such a revelation, but Gwen took it one step further and chastised,

"How dare you keep that from us, have you no sense of team loyalty?"

The others all snorted at the Welshwoman. Unknowingly, she had just summed up her own attitude with that one sentence. As the medic and tech expert frowned, Ianto was shocked into silence. How could she say that? He knew she hated him, but he thought she could be professional, obviously not. Yes, he knew he had screwed up in the past, but he had never done it again, not with things that were a potential risk anyway. He was allowed to keep personal things secret, wasn't he? And anyway, he had told Jack, that should be enough. It was then that he realised said man was talking.

"… I don't know where you get off _Gwen, _but Ianto is fiercely loyal, and an asset to this team. And for your information he told me…"

Jack was furious. How dare she insult his Ianto! Yes, he was angry that she had insulted the man he loved, but Ianto was her teammate, she should show some respect. The same respect the rest of the team showed her. He guessed it was his own fault. He had given her the impression that she was worth more than she really was. He had been far too lax with her. It had to change, now,

"You need to learn to respect your teammates more."

Gwen groaned and kept quiet, frustrated at Jack's change in attitude.

Xxx

As they passed the main street, and headed towards the outskirts, the trees began to cover the roadside.

Being observant, Ianto took note that there were no people, something that had never happened before. He remembered, during this youth, there was always someone abou, but now… It was like a ghost town.

The Welshman directed Jack to his home. No one lived there but the housekeeper, and even she only stayed there occasionally, so there was plenty of room for them all to have their own space.

As they headed up the drive, marvelling at the vista, they were blissfully unaware of the pair of eyes watching them from between the trees.

Xxx

It was another ordinary day for Jesse. He had done all his usual activities early today. He hadn't wanted to risk being seen again, so had decided to go to the gravestone when most people would still be in their homes. He didn't know that it was the day before the festival and everyone was outside and starting to put up the decorations, however, most people didn't dare go beyond the outlining trees, so he would be safe anyway.

It felt strange to have visited Winifred already, so he decided to find somewhere else to remind him of her. He chose to climb his _Eiffel Tower _– in reality just a tall rock formation coming in at 2 feet higher – that they had climbed together. As he reached the top, he stood and looked out over the view. It was upsetting that it no longer had the same one he had seen with his love. Before, when they'd looked together, all they could see was trees. Now, there were still trees, but they were accompanied by buildings, roads and traffic. He hated how development had ruined the landscape; however, advancement had given him his amazing motorbike. He chuckled at the memory of trying to drag his bike to the house. It wasn't easy, but it was easier than riding it through the trees. He turned his attention towards the town. He couldn't see much, the people looked like little ants from this height, but he could tell something was going on. At least they wouldn't bother him when he reached where he wanted to go next. He wanted to visit Winnie's old house, which was how he currently found himself, watching a black SUV pull up the driveway. Observing the 5 people getting out of the vehicle, he felt strange. Something was telling him that life as he knew it was about to change. He just hoped it was for the better.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Local Ghost

As the team unloaded all the gear, Jack followed Ianto inside to search for the housekeeper. He had asked his neighbour, Mrs Richards, to look after the place while he was away. It didn't need much, just a dust and a vacuum, from time to time.

The couple made their way from room to room, searching for the woman. As he looked, Ianto was reminded of his childhood. He remembered all the family meals in the dining room, the games in the lounge, and the pillow fights in the bedrooms. Those were the best, even though his parents used to yell at him and Rhiannon for it. _How he missed his sister sometimes. He'd have to go and see her soon, maybe with Jack?_

They ended up finding the woman in his old bedroom, changing the sheets. He turned to Jack and told him to wait for a minute. Without making a sound, he stood at the open door, leaning against the frame and said,

"Hello."

The woman gasped and spun around.

"Ianto!" she cried and ran up to him, pulling him into a hug. She then pulled away and looked at him, a frown covering her face.

"Why didn't you come visit me? You don't even phone, and then you turn up out of the blue and give me a heart attack." That was when she spotted Jack. "And who is this?"

"Jack Harkness. Pleasure to meet you," Jack grinned and held out his hand. The woman beamed back and took it, shaking it enthusiastically.

"Connie Richards."

They spent the next few minutes getting to know each other when Owen's voice drifted upstairs,

"Jack, where shall we put the gear?"

Jack swiftly ran down to help set the equipment up in the little sitting room they had passed earlier. As the men worked, Ianto took the women on a tour of the house, showing them their rooms. He gave Tosh his sister's room. It had once been his grandmother's room as a girl, although it had gone through several transformations since then to keep up with his sister's changing interests. Currently, it was decorated the most like the original look of the room as it ever had in his life, after his sister went through her Jane Austen phase and modelled the room off the ones she'd seen on the TV adaptation of her favourite books.

"Thank you Ianto. I'll unpack and be down in a bit," the Japanese woman said, moving into the room to have a better look around.

"You're welcome… I'll leave you to it."

He then took Gwen to one of the guest rooms. This room was not as fancy as the one he had given the other woman, bit it was still nice. He had decided that Owen would have his room, which still housed all his old game consoles, knowing that the older man would appreciate the gesture. After much deliberation, deciding if it felt too weird to stay in his parents' old room or not, he had decided that he and Jack would take the master bedroom, seeing as that was the only room with a king-sized bed. When he reached the room Gwen could use, he wasn't surprised when she just went in and shut the door, not saying a word.

Xxx

Downstairs, Jack and Owen were busy carting all the tech into the sitting room Jack had chosen. He had elected to use this room as it was at the back of the house. Plus, no-one would be able to see in the windows, due to the fact that the garden had a fence surrounding it, and the woods beyond that provided more than enough cover.

It wasn't long before they were joined by Toshiko, who helped them get all the programmes up and running.

Once they were functioning, Jack yelled for Ianto and Gwen to join them, intending to brief them on the plan for the day. Gwen arrived almost instantly but Ianto was nowhere in sight.

"Ianto Jones, get that gorgeous, suit-clad, body in here now!"

A few minutes later, Ianto appeared carrying a try of mugs, "You yelled sir?"

"Yes, but I didn't know you were working your coffee magic." Jack smiled and gave him a peck on the cheek. There was no need to hide anymore; everyone knew they were together since he'd kissed Ianto in front of everyone, before he left with the Doctor. He regretted his impromptu departure now. He was just thankful that Ianto had forgiven him and taken him back. Being away had given him the strength to admit to himself that he actually loved the man, although, it had taken him almost another to admit it to the Welshman.

"Oy, you two, stop giving each other goo-goo eyes and give me my coffee!"

Jack smiled at Ianto's blush while grabbing a mug off the tray and handing it to the medic, who instantly took a huge gulp.

Once all the mugs were dished out, Jack began,

"Ok. Today I want you to meet the locals and find out all you can about the woods. Toshiko, I'd like you to stay here and scan the trees around the house, see if you get any readings. Talk to the housekeeper as well and see what she knows. Gwen, talk to the local police, see if they have anything to add. Owen, speak to the town doctor, see if any of the witnesses suffer from anything that may discredit their stories. Ianto, you're with me, I want to meet the town elders you told me about."

Xxx

Jesse didn't dare move as he continued to watch the people that had just arrived outside Winnie's house. Sure, he knew it wasn't her house anymore but he couldn't help but call it that. At first, he wondered if one of these people was Winnie's child, but soon realised that they looked too young, _her grandchild maybe? _

He then realised, to be able to tell, he had to get closer. The only problem was that there were so few places to hide if he did. He then had an idea. Watching them enter the house, Jesse made a run for it and hid behind a clump of bushes. From here he could see and hear what they were saying. Unfortunately, only three returned and began taking the bags inside.

The immortal watched as they worked, taking in their appearances. The first to grab his attention was one of the women. The reason being that she was moaning,

"Why do we get left to do the donkey work? All Ianto has to do is breathe and he has Jack following like a lovesick puppy. "

It appeared as though the other two were ignoring her. Jesse studied her for a moment, _no; she can't be related to Winnie. She's too moody to have Winnie's genes._

Moving on, he turned her attention to the other woman. Although Japanese, he thought it possible that she could be a relation. This woman seemed kinder, especially when she said,

"Lay off Ianto. It's not his fault that Jack doesn't love you."

"Yeah Gwen, leave them be," added the other man. His next sentence told Jesse, without a doubt, that neither were relations of Winnie,

"Just think yourself lucky Ianto is letting us stay in his house, or we'd have to be in a B and B, and something tells me it wouldn't be as nice as here."

With that the three went inside, leaving Jesse alone. He wanted to see Ianto, so he tried to sneak back into the trees. Making it, he began moving around the house, trying to find a way to see inside. Try as he might, he couldn't see anything through the windows at this distance, so he resigned himself to wait until they came out.

He waited a good half hour before someone emerged, the Japanese woman. She walked around the garden with a device in her hand. He could see her holding it up to the trees. That's when he knew he had to run. They were here to find him.

Xxx

Because it was a nice day, Jack had insisted that they walk into town. That way they might meet someone who knew about the woods. Owen and Gwen were not impressed but soon complied when Jack began to walk off, Ianto at his side. They strolled down the road they'd used to get to the house and still found it to be as deserted as before. However, when they turned the corner, and came out from the canopy of trees, the sound of the lively townsfolk hit them.

They spent a few minutes just looking around, before parting and heading off to their separate destinations.

Jack watched as his colleagues headed off in opposite directions, before turning to Ianto and saying,

"Ok Mr Jones, where do the town elders meet?" Ianto sighed and pointed across the street,

"Well obviously, they meet in the Town Hall. Where else would they be?"

With that, the Welshman headed towards the building, the immortal following shortly after.

When they entered, a group of roughly 15 men all sat together in a round circle of chairs, one of which had a small table in front of him and appeared to have been writing.

"Can we help you?" an old man asked. He was sat facing the door, directly centre to it. Jack noted that this must be the leader, either that or someone very important.

"It's me Mr Richards."

The man rose and began to approach the couple; he put on his glasses and said, "It is you! Ianto Jones, I haven't seen you since your grandmother Winifred died. How are you son?"

"Fine, thank you. I'm actually here on business. This is my boss, Jack Harkness. We're here to help."

"You're here to get rid of the ghost," another man asked.

"Yes sir," answered Jack. "Can you tell me where the ghost was first heard?"

"It was down near the Foster house, my daughter heard crying," a different man answered. This man appeared to be younger than the rest. He was the only one without some form of spectacles. "She looked around, kind girl that she is, but there was no sign of anyone. It's a ghost, it must be."

"Thank you sir. We'll go and take a look," Jack said, heading back out again. Ianto thanked them and followed, but not before ensuring he would visit more often in the future.

"Right then Mr Jones, how about you be a good little tour guide and show me around?"

"If you like," the Welshman replied, heading down the street. He was soon joined by Jack, who joined their hands and switched his mind to enjoying his favourite activity, alone time with Ianto.

Ianto blushed lightly at the display of affection, but didn't comment as he showed Jack around the town where he was born.

Xxx

Over at the doctors' surgery, Owen wasn't fairing much better. He had asked about the people who had heard the 'ghost', or whatever the people were referring to it as, and no-one was giving him any answers. He had tried everything, flashing his Torchwood ID, but they weren't budging. He had almost given up hope when a man came emerged from one of the treatment rooms.

"I swear I saw someone. I'm not imagining things, the ghost is a person! It can't be a coincidence!"

"I'm sorry, Henry, but the police have searched the area and no-one is there," the doctor soothed, patting the man on the back and walking away. Seeing his chance, Owen stepped up,

"I couldn't help overhearing that you saw someone in the woods, would you tell me about it?"

"Of course," he said before yelling, "No-one else wants to hear the truth!"

The pair made their way out onto the street. The man, Henry, remembered Owen, led the medic to one of the less busy coffee shops and plonked himself down in one of the booths. He then proceeded to tell Owen all about the crying he had heard and going to help.

"I swear I saw a blur of someone running through the trees."

"Where was this?"

"Over by the old Foster place, it was near that gravestone in the woods."

"Thank you. I will look into it."

With that, Owen began making his way back to the house. He needed to inform Jack of this crucial piece of information.

Xxx

Gwen Cooper was annoyed. She had spent the last 20 minutes being passed between different constables, all of whom said nothing of substance. All she had been told were tales of ghosts, and she was getting extremely irritated. She had originally believed that, because she was Torchwood, people would automatically help, and had gone in demanding answers and flashing her badge. She soon realised that, here, the organisation wasn't common knowledge, so using her badge was, basically, useless as a way of getting what she wanted. What she also couldn't comprehend was that the officers had thought her rude and, collectively, were reluctant to help such a woman. Usually, the Treegap police were friendly to outsiders, but this woman had no respect for the small town, and hence, they were not giving her the time of day.

Aggravated, Gwen stormed out, yelling about the uselessness of small town police forces, and in effect cementing their decision to not help.

Once outside, she decided to head back to the house and complain to Jack. _He'd sort them out,_ she was certain of it. She was blissfully unaware of how little Jack really thought of her.

Xxx

As soon as the rest of the team had gone, Toshiko went outside to do the scan Jack had asked for. She took out her hand-held scanner and began holding it up to the trees. After a few minutes, she got a brief hit of a second life-sign, before it disappeared. She looked up from the screen, but couldn't see anything

"Hello," she called towards the trees. She shouted again and was pleased to see the life-sign returning.

"What are you doing?"

The voice made the woman jump. She turned around to be confronted by Mrs Richards.

"Hello. I'm scanning the trees for signs of life."

"Is this about the 'ghost'?"

"Have you seen it?"

"Let me tell you my theory. I know all the tales of this place." Tosh smiled as she followed the woman inside. She was led to a large kitchen and directed to take a seat at the counter. She watched as the housekeeper made tea for them both, before sitting beside her.

"I know everyone says it's a ghost, but there is a legend that a family of magical folk live in there. When I was a little girl my mother told me of a man that came in search of such a family, when she was working as a maid here. She told me of how Winifred Foster went missing, and how the family had taken her. I heard that they escaped, but no-one knows how. I heard tales, stories of the family being immortal but it's never been confirmed. I think they've returned, and them crying is their sadness for the loss of Winifred, who, I believe, was actually a friend."

Tosh was speechless. All she could get out was a small, "Wow."

The other woman chuckled and stood. Before leaving the room, she turned and said, "I know you are all here to search those woods, but I think Ianto holds the key to bringing the family out of hiding. He is Winifred's grandson after all."

With that, Toshiko was left alone, thinking about how she could tell the others this theory.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Present Meets Past

"So this was the baker that my grandmother would take us to when we were kids. She used to tell me the story of when she would have to sit in the car and wait for her mother to come out. She said that once she played with the local children and got in so much trouble," Ianto began to tell his lover as they walked hand in hand past the baker's shop. Ianto wasn't used to talking so much but Jack was hanging on every word and kept asking,

"Did you used to go there….?" or, "Tell me about that place…"

Each time Ianto would regale Jack with all the things he and his grandmother would do together; stories about sneaking a treat at the local sweet shop, or buying him action figures at the toyshop.

After showing Jack his old primary school, the older man muttered,

"I never went to school."

"Really? How come?" Ianto asked automatically. The temporary silence made the young man wonder if he shouldn't've asked. He was surprised when Jack led Ianto to sit down on the next available bench and took a deep breath.

"I never talk about my childhood, but I feel like I owe you some of my own stories… When I was growing up my parents were my teachers. When they died, I was sent to the orphanage and had lessons with the other children. When I was old enough, I tried anything to earn money to be able to leave. I became a poster boy. I was the 'Face of Boe.'" Jack chuckled, "Anyway, enough about my life. How about we get some coffee and cake?"

Ianto shook his head, but soon hopped up and led the way to the best café in town, knowing his lover would enjoy their cake selection.

Xxx

"Jack!" Gwen yelled as she entered the house. When she didn't get a reply, she began to wander around the house, frequently yelling, "JACK!"

"Jack isn't here yet," Tosh answered, poking his head round the hall door for a moment before disappearing again.

Gwen grumbled and went to get a drink from the kitchen, frustrated with having to wait. She sat there for a few minutes before deciding to go upstairs and keep watch for when her boss returned. She watched as Owen returned, groaning that it wasn't Jack.

Xxx

When Owen returned to the house he headed straight for the tech room, hoping to find the rest of the team. He smiled briefly as he greeted the Japanese woman sat staring at the monitor.

"I'm just checking the history on this place, according to Mrs Richards this house was a crucial part of the town."

"I gathered as much, a patient at the surgery today mentioned hearing things around this house. Could you check him out for me?"

They spent the next few hours researching the town, its citizens and the mysterious Foster family.

Xxx

By tea time, Jack and Ianto had returned to the house. The rest of the team knew not to comment on why Jack and Ianto were back so late. Knowing Jack they'd hear some elaborate story and didn't want to waste time. As the rest of the team sat down, tucking into the meal Mrs Richards had made, Ianto gently chastised her for cooking for them. However, after she insisted she didn't mind he soon relaxed and sat down too.

While they ate, they all shared their findings. Owen spoke first, telling them all about his encounter in the surgery. They all listened intently, commenting on the validity of the doctor's theories and the patient's claims. After, Jack told them all about meeting the elders and their ghost theory. It seemed it was something that had been adopted by the whole town.

Before Toshiko could tell them her story, Gwen spoke,

"Well, I had the worst time, they wouldn't tell me anything. They were so unhelpful, only talking about the stupid ghost. You need to sort them out Jack!"

Internally, the rest of the team groaned as Jack spoke, "I'll speak to them later, explain the situation."

Gwen grinned, thinking he would support her, but really, he was intending to apologise for her behaviour. He knew, without a doubt, that she wouldn't have been very friendly in her approach.

When Toshiko was finally able talk about what Mrs Richards had told her, Ianto couldn't help but gasp,

"My Grandmother told me that story. She said it was real. I remember her telling me that the youngest son had promised to come back for her. You don't suppose it's him and he's crying because he's too late?"

"It could be," Jack replied. "We'll go look tomorrow."

The rest agreed and turned their attentions back to their food.

Xxx

The next morning, when Jack woke, he was disappointed to find the space beside him empty. He held out his hand and felt the cold sheets. _Why is he up, he usually waits for me to wake first?_

Jack grumbled as he dressed and decided to head downstairs. When he reached the landing, the smell of bacon hit his nose. He breathed deeply, inhaling the wonderful scent. Following the mouth-watering smell, he arrived in the kitchen, obviously, but was surprised to find Ianto cooking while he talked to Tosh. Jack listened for a few seconds, not wanting to interrupt, but hearing it was only about books and movies, he quietly made his way inside.

Jack smiled, thankful that it was only the Japanese woman around and not Gwen and Owen. Although Owen wouldn't mind, he would tease both his and Ianto about what he was about to do, and Gwen, she would be in a foul mood all day if she witnessed this…

So, having only one witness, he headed over to his lover, wrapped his arms around his waist and kissed his neck,

"Morning. Smells good."

"You'll make me burn it."

"Excuses, excuses… Just admit you don't want me. I can take it," he joked. Smiling as Tosh giggled at his fake blubbering.

"Oh, stop with the fake tears already, you know I didn't mean it that way." He then turned and whispered in Jack's ear, "You know I love you cariad, but I don't want Gwen to come down and catch us, you know how she can be."

"Ok. You too, by the way," Jack said, before giving him a little kiss and going to sit with Tosh. Less than a minute later, a half asleep Gwen entered, still in her pyjamas. The others were surprised, it was 8:00; usually they were at work by then. Although, they had to admit, Gwen wasn't very good at being on time and usually turned up at 9:00.

It was then that Jack realised something, "Where's Owen?

"Outside… He wanted to do a quick scan while the bacon cooked."

When he looked out the window, the man could clearly be seen, device in hand, walking around the garden.

"I better go and get him," Tosh decided, leaving the room. Jack continued to watch outside as the Japanese woman approached the medic, and the two headed towards the house together.

After breakfast, Jack spoke, "Plan for the day, we're going to search the woods. The town elders say they have, but I'm sure they didn't go very far in. Tosh, Owen I want you to head north, Ianto and I will go west. If you find anything, contact me on the comms…"

"What about me?" demanded Gwen.

"Well first, I want you to get dressed and then watch for anything around the house."

The Welshwoman grumbled at that and left the room, supposedly to get dressed. The remaining team members began preparing themselves for the day's expedition.

Xxx

The morning sun on his face woke Jesse from his dream. It had been a lovely dream; he had returned to Treegap and been reunited with Winnie. They had got married and travelled the world. He opened his eyes, expecting to see his love beside him, but he was alone. It was then that reality took hold and he realised that his dream would never happen. Sighing, he made his way into the kitchen to make some breakfast. He needed to do something more today, something physical, and he needed a good meal.

Once he'd finished, he headed out to the waterfall and pool that he used to go swimming in. He stripped off and dived in. He found the cool water hitting his skin to be quite refreshing. As he swam, he remembered something. He couldn't believe he had forgotten!

He had swum with Winnie here. He remembered her fear of joining him. He recalled her telling him she couldn't swim. He smiled as he thought about how he had to hold her up and how she had hugged him.

It was at that moment when he heard them, footsteps and voices, coming closer by the second. He couldn't get out; it would make too much noise, so he chose to hide under the waterfall. He then realised, he had left his clothes on the rock above. Whoever was there was sure to find them. He had to move quickly.

Xxx

"Come of Jack, it's this way," Ianto directed as he led the way to the gravestone. They had decided to start from there, seeing as that was where most of the sightings originated.

It didn't take long for the stone to become visible through the trees. As they approached, Ianto began to kneel before it, touching the top.

"Hi Grandmother, I don't normally do this, but I thought I would talk to you just in case you are looking down on me and can hear me. I think I found him. I promise if it is him I will tell him what you said. Bye."

Ianto slowly rose, looking up at the T carving on the tree. He remembered his grandmother telling him that it was the name of the family that lived in the woods when she was a young girl. She had told him all about meeting the young Jesse Tuck in this spot, and that's why she wanted her grave to be here. Ye, he knew she loved his grandfather, but you never forget your first love, right? He smiled at Jack, before walking away into the trees, in the opposite direction to the way they came. Surprised at his lover's silent departure, it took Jack a second to get his legs to follow the other man, so he ended up having to jog after the retreating Welshman.

When he caught up, Jack instantly took Ianto's hand. The Welshman didn't normally approve of public displays of affection, but this trip had made him rethink things, especially after Jack's little confession.

As they walked, they exchanged pleasant chatter until Ianto stopped and whispered,

"Listen…."

"What?" Jack listened, but he couldn't hear anything apart from the gentle flow of running water.

"Hello!" Ianto called out, before mouthing to Jack, 'There's someone there.'

Catching on, Jack added, "We won't hurt you!"

Jesse panicked as the voices got louder as they came closer.

"Hello. My name is Ianto; I think you knew my Grandmother."

_Ianto, the one I wanted to meet. I have to trust him. I don't have a choice. _

Jesse sighed and made his way out of the pool. He was just getting dressed when two men appeared.

"Hello. Captain Jack Harkness, nice to meet you?" the older of the two spoke, holding out his palm. Ianto hoped that the forward approach of his boss didn't scare the man off. There was a brief pause when Jack worried that the mam wouldn't accept his hand.

"Jesse," he replied, taking the offered hand. Jack sighed in relief.

When he let go, Jesse looked up at the other man. He assumed that this was Ianto, seeing as there were only two of them, and the other had introduced himself as Jack. At first glance, he didn't look much like his dear Winnie but he could see the family resemblance when the man gave him a shy smile.

To Jack, Jesse looked to be in his late teens or early 20's. He wondered how a man this young could possibly know Ianto's grandmother. His question was answered by Ianto's next sentence,

"It's nice to finally meet you Jesse. My grandmother talked a lot about you. She wanted me to tell you that she lived her life but missed her immortal love."

As one, he and Jack gasped. He couldn't believe that this stranger, regardless of his lineage, knew of his condition. He wondered what had made Jack gasp too.

Jack didn't know why Jesse had reacted that way, but he was in shock. In all his years, Jack had never met another immortal human, and thought he never would. He made a mental note to ask the man how it had happened. It was at that moment that he had a rather selfish idea, _I wonder if I could make Ianto immortal the same way, then we can be together forever?_

He almost missed Ianto asking the man to return to the house with them.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: The Immortality Spring

As the trio headed back to the Foster house, Jesse was feeling more and more nervous. At any moment they would reach the house and he would meet the rest of the people he saw before. It wasn't the people as such, it was the fact that he would be alone with all these strangers and he didn't like being crowded. If he was honest with himself, he feared the rest of them. With just Ianto and Jack, he could cope, they knew about him now, and Ianto was Winnie's grandson so he didn't have to worry. However, with the rest, he didn't feel comfortable with them knowing about him yet. His fears were subsided when Jack said,

"Don't worry, I have asked the others to stay out for a while, so you don't feel like we are ambushing you… Can I ask, how did it happen, your immortality?"

Jesse felt himself going pale, he couldn't tell them, he didn't trust them completely yet.

"Ok. I'll share something with you that very few people know about me… I am immortal too. I…," Jack began to tell Jesse all about how Rose had brought him back from the dead, and how he now couldn't die. Jesse couldn't believe it, the Tucks were not alone. He had travelled the world, several times, and had never heard of any other immortals, or the places the man was discussing. He watched as Jack looked up at Ianto, smiling, before speaking again. Jesse couldn't believe he had more to say, what he had said already was quite a revelation.

"…We, Ianto and I, promise to never tell your secret, not even to the rest of our team, if you don't want us too, but could you please tell us how?"

Taking a deep breath, Jesse contemplated his next move. What harm could it do? This man was already immortal, and knew how to keep it a secret himself, so he in turn would keep Jesse's too.

"Ok… It all began…" Jesse told them all about his life since drinking from the spring, his family, Winnie, everything. As he talked, he watched their expressions change from wonder to sadness. He felt the comfort in their smiles. He knew he could trust them when he said,

"I will show you where it is if you promise to help me keep it safe."

Xxx

_Finally, _Jack thought. He had been waiting for Jesse to show him the spring he had been talking about. He had a plan. It was simple, get Ianto to drink from it and be by his side for eternity. He'd never be alone again.

As he followed the younger immortal, he realised they were heading in the same direction as the grave they had visited earlier. When they stopped beside it, Jesse went behind the tree and lifted up the foliage covering it. Jack gasped as his eyes landed on the tiny pool of water. He couldn't help but go over and cradle some in his hand, letting it fall through his fingers. He wondered how such a little thing could hold so much power.

"I know what you want." Jesse's comment surprised him, causing him to look up. His eyes followed the younger man as he came to kneel beside him, whispering, "You want it for Ianto. Am I right?"

Guiltily, Jack nodded.

"I promised my family I would never let it fall into the wrong hands, if you promise the same; I will allow you to use it only once. I know how hard it is to lose the one you love, so I'm going to give you the opportunity I never had. My father talked my love out of it; I won't do that to Ianto, but make sure he knows the consequences. Being immortal, as you know, can be a curse. "

Before Jack could reply, Ianto spoke,

"What are you two conspiring about? Jack rose and walked over to his lover.

"Ianto, I love you, you know that. I love you more than anyone else, and I want us to be together forever. I won't make you, but I want you to take a drink from the spring. Jesse was just giving me permission."

Ianto was stunned, he hadn't expected that, but he had to admit, he was tempted.

"I promise I won't force you. It's your choice. I'll be by your side regardless."

Ianto stood silently for a few minutes, weighing up the pros and cons. He thought about his life. The only thing that made it worth living was Jack. True, he had his sister and her family, but he didn't really speak to them, let alone visit. He wanted to do it, but had to know one thing first,

"If I do this Jack, I want you to promise that you won't abandon me. I don't mind if you fall out of love with me, but I don't want to be alone in the future with no family and no friends. If you can promise that we will always be together, as friends or as lovers, then I'll do it."

Hearing that, Jack couldn't help but kiss the Welshman. He couldn't believe this was going to happen.

"I promise you Ianto. I will never abandon you. You'll never have to worry about that. I will always love you… If you want some guarantee, will this do…?" Jack asked, bending down and picking out a small object he had always kept in his coat pocket for such an occasion.

"Ianto, I have wanted to ask you for a while now, will you be my husband?"

"Yes…," Ianto replied. Jack beamed as he slid the ring onto his new fiancé's finger. Instantly, Jack pulled the younger man into his arms and kissed him, pouring all the love he felt for the Welshman into the kiss. When they parted for air, what Ianto said made him groan.

"I don't want to drink the water yet Jack. I'm sorry, but I want to see what Tosh and Owen think. We don't have to tell them about the spring. We could say that you asked the Doctor about it and you're going to give it me on the day we get married…. Jesse, would you mind us taking a vial? Jack will keep it with him until I drink it on our wedding day, or, if you like, you could keep it and come work for us for a while…"

"I'd prefer that… It's not that I don't trust you both, I do, I just feel safer if I have it…" He stopped for a second and added, "If I like it with you, would you let me stay?"

"Sure," replied Jack. "Why don't we go and introduce you to the team?"

Jesse smiled and held his hand out, "The vial." Ianto passed him a container and the immortal filled it enough for one. He replaced the cap before tucking it in his jacket pocket. "Let's go. I am ready to meet your team."

Xxx

Back at the house, the others were all waiting in the back room, watching the monitors. Jack surprised them when he suddenly opened the door and said,

"Toshiko, Owen, Gwen, this is Jesse. He's the ghost we came to see. I've asked him to come and work for us for a while."

The first to get up was Tosh who came over and offered a hand.

"Hello Jesse, I'm Toshiko. You can call me Tosh. It's nice to meet you." Jesse took her hand and responded politely,

"Hello Tosh. It's nice to meet you too."

The little meet and greet lasted for a few minutes before Jack invited them all to go to the festival celebration.

"I don't know if it's a good idea for me to go."

"It's only for a day, no one knows who you are, and we'll be going tomorrow," Ianto informed him.

"Alright then," he replied, smiling.

The group were soon on their way. Jack had taken the lead, walking hand in hand with Ianto. Jesse found himself between Tosh and Owen, telling him about the problems he had caused the town. Bringing up the rear was Gwen, a frown on her face. She hated being ignored.

Once they reached the town, Ianto smiled as he was reminded of his childhood. The street was completely coned off, with stalls of food, drink and various souvenirs lining the pavements. As soon as they were in the coned off area, Jack turned to face the others,

"Meet back here in a couple of hours ok… Go enjoy yourselves!" At that, Jack pulled Ianto off down the street, leaving the others standing in the middle of the road.

"Well there goes the boss; you want to go round with us Jesse?" Owen asked.

"Please. Where are we going to go first?" the immortal asked.

"Are you hungry?" asked Tosh.

"A bit."

"Let's go to one of the cafés then," the Japanese woman suggested. The others enthusiastically agreed, and set off down the pavement towards the little tea rooms they seen when they arrived. They passed several, but Jesse spotted one that reminded him of his past. From the window, he could see the old fashioned decorations. He loved the white table cloths and the candles on top. It also appeared to be emptier than the others.

"How about here?"

The other three stopped and turned to look inside. Nodding they headed in. It didn't take long for the quartet to order and be eating freshly made sandwiches. As Jesse ate, he realised that, although he was the outsider for now, he could see himself fitting in with this group. They seemed friendly, except maybe Gwen, but he guessed that she would warm up soon. He may not have Winnie anymore, but he had her grandson and he knew if they made friends he may be able to finally heal.

Xxx

Walking around, hand in hand, Jack and Ianto didn't have a care in the world. They were together, they were in love, and that was all that mattered. Yes, they knew that their relationship had changed, mainly because of the ring on Ianto's finger and the small vial sitting in Jesse's pocket, but they couldn't be happier about that fact. If he was honest, Ianto was glad that Jack had separated them from the others. He liked their time alone, something they had had a lot of these last few days in Treegap. He must admit, he did love the town. He then had an idea. Maybe…

"Jack, can we have the wedding here? We could use the garden at the house."

"I'd like that."

The two beamed at each other before Jack dragged Ianto passed the stalls lining the street. They were full of trinkets, memorable items to commemorate the day. Some tables held hats, others were more decorative pieces. Either way, Jack didn't care for any of it, he had what he wanted by his side, Ianto Jones, and he wouldn't change things for the world.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: A Long Awaited Wedding

It was a lovely sunny day in Treegap, the perfect day for a wedding. Everyone was waiting, milling around the large garden of the Foster family home. It wasn't many people, but it was everyone that mattered. Jack was pleased to see the Doctor and Martha stood with the rest of the team. The immortal looked up and caught the eye of Jesse as he stood at the end of the aisle. Jack was pleased to see the man smiling as he waited to perform the ceremony. They had asked their new friend if he could bind them by law before he gave them the gift of eternity. The couple had talked to the team about it and everyone there knew what was going to happen once the ceremony was complete. Jack had to admit, he couldn't wait. He had spent the last year in fear, wondering if each day would be the day he would lose his love. Luckily, nothing had happened and after today nothing ever would.

"Could everybody please take their seats," Jack heard the younger immortal ask.

It was then that he felt a hand thread into his own.

"Hey cariad, ready?"

"Definitely."

Giving the Welshman's hand a squeeze, the pair set off down to the bottom of the garden.

Jesse smiled as they approached. As soon as they were within reach, he placed his hand on their joined ones and began to speak,

"Friends and family, we are here to witness the union of Jack Harkness and Ianto Jones. I have only known them a little while but I could tell they were meant to be together. I hope you will forever remain in love and happiness. Jack you asked to go first…"

"Thank you…" Jack replied as he looked up into Ianto's eyes once more, "Ianto, I love you. From the beginning, I could feel you breaking down all my walls and I couldn't stop myself falling for you. I will love you always and forever."

Ianto smiled, a slight tear in his eyes, and began to say his piece,

"Jack. I love you so much. I fall for you more and more every day, and I promise I will never stop. I promise to love you until I die."

They shared loving smiles as Jesse asked for the rings. As they slipped them onto each other's fingers, they couldn't help the small tears running down their cheeks. After, Jesse handed Ianto the vial and the Welshman downed it immediately, smiling happily. They eagerly joined hands again so Jesse could say the line that would make it all official.

"Now the rings have been exchanged, and the vial has been drunk, there is nothing left for me to say except. Jack Harkness and Ianto Jones I pronounce you husbands for eternity. Jack, you wanted to reveal your new name?"

"When I came to this world from the future I took someone else's name. Although I have been known as Jack Harkness for many years I would now like to take the name of my husband. I would like to be known as Jack Jones."

Ianto gasped, he had not been expecting that at all.

"Are you sure Jack?" Jack nodded and Ianto couldn't help but shed another tear of joy.

Before he could express how he felt to his partner, Jesse spoke again,

"I pronounce you Jack and Ianto Jones, you man now kiss."

Cheers erupted around the garden as the two men shared a passionate kiss, sealing their union for all time.

Xxx

After the ceremony, and Jack and Ianto had run off to celebrate on their own for a while, the guests helped turn the garden into a place fit for a party. They put out tables and moved the chairs so people could sit and eat buffet food comfortably. Toshiko added her own unique flare to the party in the form of a modified hi-fi. She had made it so that the music would fill the entire property but not the surrounding area.

When Jack and Ianto returned, they couldn't believe the difference. As soon as they had finished talking to the well wishes the couple decided to dance, where they spent the majority of the night, only leaving each other's presence if they really had to.

Everyone partied long into the night, having no cares in the world, until they were about to collapse in exhaustion. Even the team let themselves go and have fun. They knew that in the morning things would have to return to normal, and they would have to head back to Wales, but they didn't want to think about work that night.

To Jack and Ianto it was like living a dream, too magical a night to be anything otherwise. In their wildest dreams they never would've been able to imagine this, especially the fact that they were now united forever.

Looking back to before they came on this trip, Jack never would have thought that he would get the one thing that he had always desired, a love to share his immortality with. He had Ianto Jones, and he couldn't be happier. He never imagined that a case about a local ghost would give him such joy. He never expected that said ghost would turn out to be an immortal man who could give him his wish, and that Jesse would become a close friend. Yes, Jack Harkness was content with his life; he only wished that he could repay the man who had given him so much happiness.


	9. Epilogue

Epilogue

Years later, the townsfolk of Treegap would claim that there was a magical wedding that took place in their town. They would talk about how there had been a group of outsiders who had helped the town, and made friends with the ghost of the forest. They claimed that the ghost had given them a special gift, the gift of eternal love.

Every passer-by was told the story, who passed it on to others, like a game of Chinese whispers. As it passed on through the generations the story became more and more diluted until it became like a fairy tale about a magical town called Treegap which blessed people's love. However, fairy tale or not, that didn't stop the many people around the world visiting the little town, hoping their love would be blessed and last forever.

For the couple who the legend tells about, life couldn't be better. They had travelled the universe, seen countless worlds, before returning to where it all began, Treegap. They would stay for a while, 10 years at most, before leaving again, only returning when they knew for sure that the people old enough to remember them were gone. Nevertheless, that didn't stop the stories of them being told, tales of a couple that never aged and didn't want people to find out, so only turned up once in a lifetime. Many believed that was the reason why the old Foster home was never for sale, even though it was empty, so it was always ready for the day the pair would return. Like most stories as they pass down the generations, it became just an old rumour and was, therefore, long since forgotten.

As for the ghost, it was never heard in the forest again. Some said the townsfolk made it up to bring in tourists, but that was never proven. However, there was the legend of the traveller, a young looking man that, once every decade, would appear and visit the old Foster house. The traveller would be seen for a while, walking around the property or the local woods, or talking to the family that lived there and playing with their children. He would be seen for a while before both he and the family disappeared. There were even tales that he married the couple's eldest daughter and the pair now travel the world. Although, no-one knows for sure if the traveller really exists.

In the end, time is the greatest breaker and healer of hearts, and for Jack and Jesse, it was true. Jack had to suffer being alone for so long but time waiting had brought the one for him into the world and he had got his wish. Now Jack and Ianto had been living a wonderful life together, which had healed all the pain waiting had caused the older man. It had been the same for Jesse, but he'd had to wait a bit longer than Jack to be given another chance at love. He had been given the eternal love of Winifred Jones who, at 18, decided to become immortal like her parents and live her life with the handsome traveller.

Time had taken a lot from both couples, losing friends and family to old age, but it had also given them the time to make new.

In the words of Jack Jones they wouldn't change things for the world.

**Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. **


End file.
